MISSION AND SCIENCE PLANNING

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments

Technicians prepare a test version of the Apollo command and
service module in the space environment simulation chamber at MSC. The
lights, mounted at left, simulate solar irradiation. The chamber walls
can be cooled by liquid nitrogen to -193 degrees C, simulating the
radiation-absorbing void of space. After the huge door is closed, the
entire chamber, 55 feet in diameter and 90 feet high, can be pumped down
to less than one ten-millionth of atmospheric pressure.

MSC's original specifications for the lunar landing module included a
generalized "scientific instrumentation system" to provide for
selenological research. Specific experiments could not be listed in
1962, but investigations of the lunar atmosphere, surface, and interior
were contemplated. The contractor would include weight, volume, and
power allowances for the instruments in the module design; specific
instruments would be defined later.32

After the lunar module contractor, Grumman Aircraft Engineering
Corporation, was selected in later 1962, MSC forged ahead with
spacecraft design. Definition of the lunar surface experiments, which
was the responsibility of the Office of Space Sciences and Applications,
proceeded at a much more deliberate pace, however. [see Chapter 3] In early 1963 Houston expected
that the first experiments would be selected by the end of the year;33 but months went by with little
progress. By September, spacecraft engineers urgently needed data on the
experiments - weight, volume, and power requirements - to feed into
lunar module design, but since nothing was available, MSC awarded a
10-month study contract to Texas Instruments to investigate
instrumentation requirements for manned lunar exploration.34 Headquarters was somewhat unhappy with this
unilateral action, but lunar module designers had to have the
information and the scientific community seemed to be in no hurry to
supply it.35 The study provided an
indication of the type of instrumentation likely to be useful, and in
the next few months the spacecraft office worked out preliminary weight
and volume allotments for the experiments: 250 pounds (113 kilograms)
and 15 cubic feet (0.42 cubic meters) in the descent stage, which would
be left on the moon; 80 pounds (36 kilograms) and 3 cubic feet (0.085
cubic meters) in the ascent stage and in the command module for a
sample-return container and film. Requirements for electrical power and
a source to supply it were yet to be determined.36

Throughout 1964 and the early part of 1965, Headquarters was busy
studying the requirements for lunar surface instruments and experiments,
working with outside scientific planning groups and with MSC. [see Chapter 3] By May 1965 a tentative list of
experiments had been devised and MSC had prepared a procurement plan for
a "Lunar Surface Experiments Package" (LSEP). On George
Mueller's instructions MSC divided the procurement into two phases, a
program definition phase to be conducted by several contractors and an
implementation phase in which one of the contractors would build the
experiments.37 The request for
proposals was sent out in June and three contractors for Phase I were
picked in August.38

As defined in Houston's request for proposals, the LSEP would be a
self-powered scientific station capable of collecting data for a year,
returning information to earth by telemetry. It comprised a passive
seismometer to record natural seismic events ("moonquakes");
an active seismic experiment, which would record the effects of small
explosive charges detonated on the lunar surface; a lunar gravimeter,
which was expected to show tidal effects useful in deducing the internal
structure of the moon; an instrument to measure heat flow from the
moon's interior; radiation and meteoroid detectors; and a lunar
atmospheric analyzer. A 70-watt power module converted heat from a
radioisotope fuel capsule into electricity by means of thermocouples.
The instruments, their power supply, and their data-transmitting
equipment were limited to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) and 12 cubic feet
(0.34 cubic meters) and were to be housed in the lunar module's descent
stage. The specifications called for three units which could function on
the moon at the same time without interfering with each other.39 The program directive assigning management
responsibility to MSC specified three packages, one to be flown on each
of the first three lunar landing missions, plus a flight-qualified
spare. The first was to be delivered by July 1, 1967.40

Newell's office, meanwhile, had been evaluating proposals for the lunar
surface experiments, and on October 1 transmitted authority to Houston
to begin negotiations with principal investigators for the lunar
gravimeter and the active seismic experiment.41 A third experiment, investigation of the lunar
magnetic field, was tentatively approved on December 15.42 The science complement for the first few
missions was completed early in 1966 with the public announcement of
seven instruments and investigator teams.* Newell noted that the experiments fulfilled
the basic recommendations made the previous summer by the science teams
at the Falmouth conference and had been approved for flight by the Space
Sciences Steering Committee. Since the design of the instruments was not
yet fixed it was not certain what combination would be flown on each
mission, but modular design would allow each package to carry a group of
instruments tailored to the constraints of its mission. The instrument
collection was christened "Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments
Package," or "ALSEP."43

In authorizing MSC to develop the lunar surface science package, Newell
assigned specific experiment combinations to each of the first four
lunar landing missions and classified each as primary or backup. The
first two lunar landers would carry the magnetometer, the passive
seismic experiment, the suprathermal ion detector, the medium-energy
solar wind experiment, and the heat flow instrument. Subsequent missions
might carry different combinations, subject to Newell's approval of any
changes. MSC was authorized to spend $5.1 million to develop
flight-qualified prototype instruments and provide for operational and
support software and data analysis.44

All that remained to get instrument development under way was to select
a contractor. This was accomplished a month later when Headquarters
picked the Bendix Systems Division of Bendix Corporation, Ann Arbor,
Michigan, for negotiation of a contract to build four ALSEP packages.
Under a cost-plus- incentive-fee contract NASA anticipated a total cost
of about $17 million.45 Bendix was not
inexperienced in lunar surface exploration, having worked with JPL from
1963 to 1965, and had made a major corporate commitment to that phase of
the space program.46 Bendix's activity
was actually twofold: it would build the "central station"
that transmitted data to earth, and integrate the entire experiment
package. Some of the instruments were to be built by Bendix's
subcontractors to principal investigators' specifications; other
principal investigators chose to build their own.